USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Pittsford > History of the town of Pittsford, Vt., with biographical sketches and family records > Part 47
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Between Mr. Messer and his predecessor there was a marked difference in natural temperament and cast of mind, which pro- duced a corresponding difference in their theological views and their style of preaching. They were the complements, perhaps,
* The salary of Mr. Messer was to be the same which was paid Mr. Weeks.
+ Moses Messer was born in Methuen, Mass., in 1772, and married, 1792, Abi- gail Stevens, who was born in Killingworth, Conn., in 1774. They located at Newport, N. H. Moses Messer died in Orwell, Vt, in 1824. Abigail Messer died at the same place in February, 1833. Their children were Asa, Euseba, Abigail, Lucy, Eliza Lucina, Moses, Henry, Marsena and Mary Catharine.
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of each other, the one cultivating Christian graces scarcely touched by the other. Both were faithful pastors, and wholly devoted to their ministerial work.
After about four years of faithful service, Mr. Messer's health became so much impaired that he was obliged to resign his place ; and the pastoral relation between him and the church was accordingly dissolved by an ecclesiastical council in February, 1822.
After a respite, Mr. Messer's health was so far restored that, in November, he removed with his family to Essex, N. Y., and resumed professional labor, as stated supply. He remained there about four years. In 1826, he removed to Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and took charge of a school, while, at the same time, supplying a vacant pulpit in Greenfield. He was after- wards employed as a teacher in the Newark Academy, N. J., and after fulfilling his engagement there, he removed to Geneva, N. Y., where he was employed as assistant teacher in the " Geneva Lyceum," a position which he held about fifteen years. He is now, by reason of advanced years and feeble health, incapacitated for any very active labor.
Mr. Messer was succeeded in the pastoral office by Rev. John Ingersoll, who was ordained and installed on the 18th day of December, 1823.
At the meeting of the council on this occasion, a remon- strance against the settlement of Mr. Ingersoll was presented, signed by several members of the church and society ; " but after having long and carefully considered this remonstrance, the council voted that they would proceed to the examination of Mr. Ingersoll, with reference to his ordination and settle- ment."
The council being satisfied with the examination of Mr. Ingersoll, proceeded with the public exercises of the ordination and installation, with the following assignment of parts :
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Invocation and reading portions of the Scriptures, -
Introductory Prayer,
Sermon, -
Consecrating Prayer,
- Rev. Joshua Bates, D. D., of Middle- bury College.
Charge to the Pastor, - Right Hand of Fellowship, -
Address to the People,
Rev. Jedediah Bushnell, of Cornwall. Rev. Beriah Green, of Brandon, Rev. Henry Bigelow, of Middletown.
Concluding Prayer,
- Rev. Eli S. Hunter, of Clarendon.
Mr. Ingersoll was born in Rupert, Vt., educated at Middle- bury College, and pursued his theological studies with Rev. Josiah Hopkins, D. D., of New Haven. He preached his first sermon after his settlement in this town from the text: "There- fore came I unto you, without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for; I ask, therefore, for what intent ye have sent for me." He appears to have been a faithful laborer in this part of his Master's vineyard, and two revivals of religion occurred during his ministry here. Thirty-six were added to the church during the first year, and twenty were afterwards added, as the result of a revival in the winter of 1825-6. He requested a dis- mission from his pastoral charge, August 24, 1826, and was released in the usual way in September following.
He afterwards preached a year at the Broadway Tabernacle, New York, in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Charles Finney. He labored for a time as an evangelist in the western part of the State of New York, and with marked success. Afterwards he went further west, and continued in the work of the minis- try until his last illness. Mr. Ingersoll died at the residence of his son, Hon. G. C. Ingersoll, of Peoria, Ill., in the seventieth year of his age.
In December, 1826, a call was given to Rev. Willard Child to become the pastor of the church .* He had supplied the pulpit a few Sabbaths with great acceptance, and the call was so nearly unanimous that he had little difficulty in coming to
* Mr. Child's salary was to be $500, one half to be paid in cash, and the other half in grain.
-
Rev. Stephen Martindale, of Tinmouth.
- Rev. Henry Hunter, of Clarendon. Rev. Josiah Hopkins, of New Haven.
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a favorable decision. He was ordained and installed pastor of the church, April 25, 1827.
The council on this occasion consisted of the following pastors and delegates :
PASTORS.
DELEGATES.
Rev. Joshua Bates, D. D., Middlebury College.
Rev. John Hough.
Seth Storrs.
Rev. Thomas A. Merrill, Middlebury.
Lucius Tilden.
Rev. Jedediah Bushnell, Cornwall.
Alvin Tenney.
Rev. Mason Knappin, Sudbury,
Isaac Clark.
Rev. Daniel Kent, Benson,
- - Bigelow.
Rev. Rufus Cushman, Fairhaven.
J. H. Hale.
Rev. Beriah Green, Brandon. Asa Hale.
Rev. Charles Walker, E. Rutland.
Chauncy Trott.
Rev. Amos Drury, W. Rutland.
Moses Perkins.
Rev. Henry Hunter, Clarendon.
The public exercises were performed in accordance with the following assignment of parts :
Invocation and reading of the Scriptures, Rev. J. Bushnell.
Introductory Prayer,
Rev. H. Hunter.
Sermon, -
Rev. J. Bates, D. D.
Consecratory Prayer,
- Rev. R. Cushman.
Charge to the Pastor, -
Rev. T. A. Merrill.
Right Hand of Fellowship,
- Rev. C. Walker.
Charge to the People,
Rev. B. Green.
Concluding Prayer,
Rev. J. Hough.
-
Mr. Child's father, whose name was also Willard, was born in Woodstock, Conn., May 7, 1758, and on receiving intelli- gence of the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, he, with others in his neighborhood, hastened to the assistance of his countrymen. He was for some time with the patriot army around Boston, and was stationed on Dorchester Heights at the time of the British evacuation. He was also with the North- ern army at the capture of Burgoyne. After the war, he married Sylvia -, and located in his native town, where his son Willard was born, November 14, 1796.
Willard, Jr., was graduated from Yale College in the class of 1817, and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1820. After leaving Andover, he took charge of an academy in Blue-
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HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
hill, Maine, for three years, and while there was licensed to preach, and preached occasionally. At the close of the three years he returned to his native town, and preached in several churches in the neighborhood. While there he received a call to become the pastor of the Congregational Church in Lebanon, Conn., but declined it. In the summer of 1825, he visited his friend, Rev. Charles Walker, then pastor of the church in East Rutland, Vt., and while there he was invited to preach in Ben- son. He preached there first July 4th, 1825, and continued his labors there till December, 1826. From Benson he came to Pittsford, as before stated. His labors here were very suc- cessful ; the church was enlarged, and built up both in Christian vitality and strength. Many, who before were seldom seen at church, became quite constant attendants, being attracted there by the earnestness and eloquence of the preacher, and it is believed that not a few of this class became hopeful subjects of redeeming grace. He continued to labor here until from failure of health, in October, 1841, the connection was dissolved, with the regret of both pastor and people.
Mr. Child returned immediately to Woodstock, his native town. Though unable to study, he could preach, and the pulpit there being vacant at the time, he supplied it for one year.
In October, 1842, he was called to the pastorate of a new church, then just formed in Norwich, Connecticut. Accepting the call, he continued there until October, 1845, when being called to take charge of a Congregational Church in Lowell, Mass., he resigned and went thither. With that church he con- tinued until February, 1855, when he was invited to Beards- town, Ill., to Brandon, Vt., and Castleton, Vt., at the same time. He accepted the call of the latter church, and continued in the pastorate of it till March, 1864, when he resigned. He afterwards supplied, for a short period, one of the Congre- gational Churches in Worcester, Mass., and also, for a like period, the church in North Brookfield.
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In August, 1866, he was invited to preach to the Congre- gational Church in Crown Point, N. Y., and his labors there have been extended to the present time.
On the 13th of October, 1841, the church, at a special meet- ing, choose a committee of seven to hire a minister. This committee consisted of Andrew Leach, Elisha Pike, Simeon Gilbert, Sturgis Penfield, S. H. Kellogg, Dr. K. Winslow and Abel Penfield. An invitation was given to Rev. A. G. Pease to come and preach, as a candidate for settlement. He was a graduate of the University of Vermont, in the class of 1837, and of the Theological Seminary at Andover, Mass., in the class of 1841; and at the time of receiving the invitation to preach in Pittsford he was at his father's house in Charlotte, trying to regain his health, which had been considerably im- paired by excessive study while in the seminary. In compli- ance with the invitation, though' in feeble health, he preached in Pittsford the first two Sabbaths in November. It was then arranged that, on account of the condition of his health, he should return home to Charlotte and spend the winter, and if his health should be sufficiently improved, he was to return to Pittsford in the spring. He returned in March, and entered upon his ministerial labors. In the month of May he received a call from the church to become their pastor. He accepted the call and, in June, was ordained and installed.
During the early part of his ministry the harmony of the people seemed complete, and their satisfaction greater than usual on such occasions. But at length, some real or apparent difference of opinion between the pastor and some members of the church, on doctrinal subjects, produced an alienation of feeling, which resulted in open discord. The pastor, feel- ing that this state of things must seriously impair his usefulness, in October, 1845, asked and obtained a dismission from his pastoral charge.
The ecclesiastical council which assisted in the dismission,
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put the following good words into their report: "They are happy to express their entire confidence in the Christian character and faithfulness of Brother Pease, and they cordially recommend him to the churches as sound in the faith, and a worthy minister of the Gospel."
Soon after taking leave of Pittsford, Mr. Pease was invited to preach at Poultney, as substitute for the pastor, who was obliged to be absent from his charge on account of impaired health. He remained there till the winter of 1847. In Febru- ary of that year he was employed by the church at Royalton, to supply their pulpit in the place of their pastor, who was absent on an agency. On his return, in July, Mr. Pease left Royalton, and entered into an engagement with the church in Waterbury to supply their pulpit for one year. He remained in Waterbury, as supply and as pastor, until January, 1853. In the month of March following, he visited the West, in com- pliance with invitations from the churches in Rockford and Quincy, Ill., and he preached for the Congregational Church in the latter city till July, when he returned to Vermont, and located in Norwich, where he was installed pastor of the Con- gregational Church, January 7, 1855.
Ill health soon compelled him to relinquish pastoral labor, and, after a season of rest, he ventured to open a family board- ing school for boys. This, however, after an experiment of about two years, proved too arduous a labor for his enfeebled constitution, and it was accordingly discontinued.
In the years 1864-5, he was elected a member of the General Assembly from the town of Norwich. During the session of 1865, he was made chairman of a committee of the House, to consider and report on the recommendation of the Governor, in his message, to establish an institution "for the reformation of juvenile delinquents." The committee reported favorably, and presented a bill for the establishment of such an institution. The bill was passed, and a Board of Com-
Chiwalker
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missioners was appointed by the Governor to carry out its pro- visions,-to select and purchase a farm, erect suitable buildings, and organize and conduct the institution. Of this Board, Mr. Pease was chairman.
The institution was located in Waterbury. It was opened for the reception of pupils on the 14th of June, 1866, and Mr. Pease was elected superintendent. He retained his connection with the school until June 15, 1869, when he was compelled, on account of physical exhaustion, to resign his position. He removed to Rutland, where he now resides, an invalid.
Mr. Pease was succeeded in the pastorate of the church at Pittsford by Rev. Charles Walker, who began his ministry here on the 2d of August, 1846, though he was not installed till December 2d following. His youngest brother, Rev. Aldace Walker, then of West Rutland, preached the sermon.
Mr. Walker was born at Woodstock, Conn., February 1, 1791. He was of the seventh generation from Richard Walker, who came to this country in 1630. Richard Walker was the father of Samuel, who was the father of Samuel, Jr., of Wo- burn, Mass., who was the father of John, of Weston, who was the father of Nathaniel, of Sturbridge, who was the father of Phineas, who located in Woodstock, Conn., and was a soldier in the French and Revolutionary wars. His oldest son, Leon- ard, was born in Woodstock, in 1766. He married, in 1790, Chloe Child, daughter of Elisha Child, of Woodstock, and Charles, the oldest of their thirteen children, was born in that town. In the spring of 1797, the parents, with the four chil- dren they then had, removed from Woodstock to Strafford, Vt., where the remainder of the minority of the eldest son was spent in his father's service.
At the age of twenty-one he set out from home to seek his fortune. He traveled on foot to Woodstock, his native town, and found employment in a woolen mill, where he labored about four years. During the latter part of this period he
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HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
became the subject of a religious revival in that town. From this time his plans and purposes of life were changed ; he gave up the hopeful prospects of business which had opened to him at Woodstock, and began a school at Cherry Valley, New York. After remaining there one year, he entered the academy at Plainfield, N. HI., where he completed his preparation for college. He was intending to enter Dartmouth College, but by the advice of friends he changed his plan, and went directly to the seminary at Andover, Mass., from which he was gradu- ated in September, 1821. He was licensed to preach by the Windham Association, in Connecticut, in 1821, and was ordained by the Otsego Presbytery at Norwich, in February, 1822. He was installed pastor of the Congregational Church in Rutland, January 2, 1823, and continued his ministerial labors there till March, 13, 1833, when a severe bronchial dis- ease compelled him to resign. He taught school one year at Castleton, during which time he recovered his voice, and again turned his attention to the ministry. He accepted a call to the pastorate of the church in Brattleboro, and was installed January 1, 1835. Mr. Walker's pastorate at Brattleboro con- tinued till February 11, 1846, when he retired. His pastorate in Pittsford, which began, as already stated, December 2, 1846, was continued till December 6, 1864, at which time, by his request, he was dismissed.
The church in Pittsford, at the time Mr. Walker assumed the pastoral care of it, was not in a very harmonious state. Some alienation of feeling among its members had been created by the dismission of his predecessor, and this feeling was probably somewhat intensified by a case of church discipline, which had given rise to unhappy dissensions. But Mr. Walker proved to be the man for the place. Under his wise guidance, past differences were forgotten, and harmony was restored. It appears by the records that, during his pastorate of about eighteen years and six months, there were added to the church
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eighty-four members, forty-seven of whom were added by pro- fession.
But the success of his ministry here is not to be judged of simply by the accessions to the church. It was to be seen in the unity and spiritual life of its members, in their manly zeal, in their religious culture and in their strong adherence to Christian truth.
After retiring from the ministry, Dr. Walker* retained his pleasant homestead in Pittsford, where, with his honored and esteemed companion, he resided during the warmer season of the year; but the winters they spent with their children. He died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Boardman, at Bing- hamton, N. Y., November 28, 1870, aged seventy-nine years, 10 months and 28 days. His remains were brought to Pitts- ford, and after the usual religious services in the church, were interred in the beautiful cemetery, at the dedication of which, thirteen years before, he had offered the consecrating prayer.
Dr. Walker was succeeded in the pastorate of the church by Rev. Myron A. Munson, who began life in Chester, Mass., May 5, 1835. His boyhood was mostly spent in the adjacent town of Huntington. After studying one term at Westfield Academy, two terms at Hinsdale Academy, and two years at Williston Seminary, he was graduated from the latter insti- tution in 1855. A year was spent in mending broken health, at the expiration of which he entered Harvard College, from which he was graduated in 1860.f
Seven months of the next year were used in making the tour of France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, England and Scotland. Other months were spent in the preparation and delivery of a series of lectures on things in Europe. He entered Andover Theological Seminary in September, 1861; obtained license to preach from the Andover Association, at
* The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him in 1847.
t There was a term or two of teaching amidst the college course,
41
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Lowell, in February, 1863; was delegate of the Christian Com- mission at Parole Camp, Annapolis, Md., and in Virginia, from March 30th to May 16th, 1863; was graduated from Andover Seminary in. August, 1864. From July 28th to November 30th, 1864, he was private in the Sixtieth Massa- chusetts Volunteers, in service at Baltimore and Indianapolis.
After spending thirteen months in recruiting his health, December 30th, 1865,. Mr. Munson began to supply the Con- gregational pulpit in Pittsford. He was ordained and installed May 31, 1866, and continued his pastoral labors till impover- ished health compelled his resignation, which was accepted June 28, 1869. The first year twenty-three had united with the church by profession ; the second, twenty-five; the third, nineteen-in all sixty-seven. Membership, 207. The benevo- lent contributions, the first year, were $714* ; the second, $904; the third, $1,074, an increase of 208 per cent.
After leaving Pittsford, Mr. M. was at the sea side (Cape Ann) three months ; then in Huntington till April 29th, 1870, when he started for Minnesota. From June 5, 1870, to June 4, 1871, he supplied the pulpit of the Congregational Church in Northfield.t November 15, 1870, he received a call from the Northfield church to become its pastor, but did not accept it. A discourse, entitled God's Doing, and Man's Doing for Minnesota, preached by him at the annual Thanksgiving in 1870, was published, a request for it having been voted by the congregation.
Having made a little tour towards the northwest, July 4th, Mr. Munson set out to return to New England (via the Lakes) with health greatly recruited.
Rev. Russell T. Hall, the present pastor of the church, was born in Richmond, Vt., October 6, 1844. His parents were of New England lineage, but not otherwise particularly
* The previous year $349.
t During this period six persons were received into the church on profession.
-
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distinguished. Both were members of the Congregational Church in Richmond.
Hard work was both the theory and practice of the home, as, indeed, in a Vermont farm house, before the day of mow- ing, threshing and sewing machines, it could not well be other- wise. The family removed to Oberlin, Ohio, in March, 1856, chiefly for purposes of education. The next four years were spent by the boy, now bent upon a college course, in prepara- tory study, with intervals of farm work.
In September, 1860, he entered Oberlin College; but almost immediately his college studies were interrupted by the excitements of the rebellion. After some months of unprofit- able delay, he entered the army in December, 1861, as a pri- vate in the 43d Regiment O. Vol. After just a year's service, he was discharged for disability. During that time the regi- ment had taken part in the battles at Island No. Ten, at New Madrid, Mo., and at Corinth, Miss. College life was recommenced at once. At about the same time his Christian course began, as the result of no excitement, but a slowly ripened conviction. He united with the First Congregational Church in Oberlin, in May, 1863. In response to the call of the Government, another term of four months was spent in the army in the summer of 1864. The defense of Washington being assigned to his regiment (the 150th O. Vol.), with other troops, it thus came to have some part in the skirmish at Fort Stevens, in July, 1864.
In July, 1865, a rather unsatisfactory college course was finished. The next year was spent on a cotton plantation in Mississippi.
After six months of teaching in East Tennessee, an entire change of plan was made, and the intended profession of law was exchanged for the ministry. A course of study to that end entered upon in Union Theological Seminary, New York city, in September, 1867, was finished in May, 1870.
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HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
Immediately upon graduation from the seminary, he began preaching in Pittsford, the pastoral relation being entered upon August 7th. The ceremony of ordination and installation occurred September 8, 1870. He was married September 2d, 1869, to Mary A. Tyler, of Brooklyn, Ohio.
DEACONS.
Eleazer Harwood was the first deacon of the church, but after he assumed the pastoral office, Nehemiah Hopkins, Sen., was appointed deacon. How long Deacon Hopkins officiated in that office, the records do not show, but quite likely to the time he removed to Crown Point, in 1805 or 1806.
Simon Harwood and Calvin Drury were elected deacons December 17, 1802. Deacon Simon Harwood died March 3, 1816, and Ithiel Barnes was elected to supply the vacancy, though the records do not show when he was set apart to this office. He died April 23, 1840. Samuel W. Boardman was appointed a deacon June 1, 1826.
Simeon Gilbert, Abel Penfield and Joseph Tottingham, of Pittsford and Sardis Manley, to take the place of Deacon Har- rison, of Chittenden, were elected September 6, 1833, and ordained October 24th.
Deacons Boardman and Gilbert having removed from the town, Samuel H. Kellogg and Asa Nourse were chosen deacons November 16, 1855, and were ordained February 1, 1856.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Baptist Church in Pittsford was organized December 2, 1784. The record is as follows :
"On December 2, 1784, a number of the Baptists met at the house of Moses Olmstead to inquire into the state of each other's mind, in a spiritual sense considered ; likewise to know
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each other's thoughts concerning coming into church order, and so have the privilege of watching over each other.
" Consequently Elisha Rich, Caleb Hendee, Abel Stevens, Moses Olmstead, Mary Stevens and Esther Rowley made declaration of their faith in Christ, and came into covenant relation to watch over each other, as God's word directs. Then agreed to have Elder Rich serve us at present as a preacher. Agreed to take the Scriptures as the only rule of faith and practice, as well as government and discipline.
" January 3, 1785 .- Church met according to appoint- ment at the house of Moses Olmstead, and there received into fellowship William Sutherland, Colburn Preston and Joseph Rowley.
" February 21, 1785 .- The church met according to appointment, and the ordinance of baptism was administered to John Sutherland, Abel Wright and Elizabeth Stevens, all of whom were received into church fellowship. 2nd, Elder Corn- well and Elder Skeels were sent for in order to install Elder Elisha Rich over this church.
February 24, 1785 .- Church met according to appointment, and chose Elder Skeels moderator.
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